Feels Like Home
by PonderRose
Summary: Orphaned Haru and Louis are adopted by an all-carnivore commune. Years later, they're sent to an interrogated academy in order to spend more time with other herbivores. But this backfires when Haru is bullied by female herbivores and falls in love with a wolf. Told from Haru's point of view. Appearances of Jungle Book characters (only animals, no people). LegosixHaru and LouisxHaru
1. A Whole New World

Everyone watched as Louis and I finished up our packing. School starts in a few days. Bagheera wanted to ensure that we were settled at our new home before classes officially began. I just closed my suitcase while Louis was putting a few last-minute things in his. "All done!" I happily spun around to my family. They smiled at me and Bagheera turned to Louis. "And you, son?" "Almost," he closed the lid. Baloo proceeded to grab both of our bags and we all set off for the train station. While the whole commune went to see us off, only Baloo and Bagheera were taking us to the capital city where we would be attending Cherryton Academy.

This was Louis's and my first time leaving the forest. Thankfully the school was still on the coast on the other side of the island so we wouldn't be leaving the waterfront. This would also be our first time interacting with other herbivores in oh, over eleven years. Louis was a red deer and I was a dwarf white rabbit. Orphaned at a young age, we somehow accidently wandered into restricted land. The forest was owned by a strictly carnivore commune. We were the first herbivores to ever enter their territory. Since Louis and I were little children at the time and had no parents of our own, the commune voted to adopt us. No legal paperwork was ever done; the commune kind of exists outside the law on their land. We were raised as one of their own, and since all members of the commune practice pescetarianism and entomophage, we had nothing to worry about.

The leader of the commune, a wolf named Akela, always said that we'd finish our schooling in the big city. He believed it would be good for us to be around other herbivores while still in our youth. Initially Louis and I objected, terrified at the idea of leaving home. The big city wasn't like the commune; carnivores weren't supposed to eat any meat, which included bugs and seafood. But our old teachers and guardians, a black panther named Bagheera and a bear named Baloo, insisted that we go and enrolled us. So off we went into the wide open world, full of herbivores and carnivores alike. It was scary but as the time grew closer, we got more and more excited.

Louis and I had our eyes glued out of the window the entire way. Bagheera kept telling us to sit down while Baloo waved his hand and told him to let us be. Needless to say, they had very different parenting styles. We arrived about three hours later on the high-speed train. We went straight to Cherryton Academy, where we met the principal and administrators. Admittedly, I felt a bit better knowing our principal was a tiger; we had a tiger on the commune, Shere Khan, who was very regel and protective of us. He introduced us to the dorm masters, who showed us the rest of campus. Louis and I were sad to learn that we'd have separate dorm houses, but that's the way they do it here. Segregation by gender and if you're a carnivore or herbivore. I understood why they did this, particularly the gender part, but I couldn't get over that I wouldn't have any carnivores in my building. After living with only meat-eaters for so long, it just seemed weird.

After the tour, setup in our dorm rooms, and assurance to Bagheera and Baloo that we'd have everything we need here at school, we finally said our goodbyes. There were lots of tears and we hugged each other tight; something that freaked the herbivores on staff out. Then Bagheera told us to call him if we had any trouble and to study hard; Baloo said not to have too much fun and winked. I waved until their train was out of sight from the platform. With tears in our eyes, Louis wrapped his arm around my shoulder. And with that, we headed back to school for our first year ever in interrogated society.


	2. That First Snow

Three Years Later:

Needless to say, Louis and I were pretty infamous at school. We were known as "the rebels", or in other words, two of the only herbivores- save maybe for elephants, rhinos, and hippos- who weren't afraid of carnivores. It was a little more understandable for Louis since he was a red deer, but me… I think that weirded animals out more than anything. A little white bunny who didn't hesitate to approach a lion or tiger? Growing up on the commune, this was a daily occurrence, but herbivores here treated it like this was some grave taboo. Even the carnivores got all flustered when I approached them. All this made making friends that first year fairly difficult.

Things were different for Louis. After some time, he developed some friendships and even joined the drama club. Of course he and I stayed as close as the siblings we were, but he started to like school life. Because he wasn't scared of carnivores, even challenging them from time to time, he gained a lot of respect from the student body and teachers. He had admirers and those who looked up to him- usually herbivores and smaller carnivores. Did all this attention go to his head? Perhaps, but he hid it really well. He was still as soft-spoken and classy as ever. Plus he never expressed any interest in any girls besides well… you know.

All this made the commune very proud. They were already preparing for both our futures and going to give us the choice if we wanted to return or not. I did, or at least I thought I did, but I wasn't so sure about Louis. He didn't like to talk about it, no matter how much Bagheera and Akela nagged him. Ah well, I wasn't too worried about it; he'll do what's right for him when the time comes.

As for me, well these past three years have been… eventful to say the least. Girls hated me with a vengeance; probably because I was a guy-magnet. Oh, how do I say I was popular with the males on campus without sounding conceited? I won't lie- I knew how beautiful I am, most likely one of the most beautiful girls here. The guys knew it and Louis knew it. The confessions came flooding in first year; all from herbivores. This surprised me, since I knew some carnivores had crushes on me too. But one girl told me once that carnivores don't date herbivores, period. Seems like a strange rule; one I didn't get. Eventually however, I just accepted that this was the way things were and moved on with life. Or at least I did until I met him.

While Louis joined the drama club, I joined the gardening club- mostly because it didn't have any other members. The older I got, the worse the bullying became. Louis did what he could to stop it, but some of the girls were unrelenting. It got to the point where the only one I wanted to hang out with was Louis; I didn't want to get a boyfriend for the sake of not being alone. Besides, this wasn't permanent. Soon I'd be back on the commune with Bagheera and Baloo again- my family. A part of me hoped Louis would come too but I'd never ask him. He had to decide that for himself.

Where should I start this story? So much happened in that last year of school. Let's start in winter, right after the first snow fall. This was something Louis and I looked forward to each year back in the forest. No matter how old we got, playing in the snow never got old. We woke up that Sunday morning and ran to window; then we ran downstairs to the front door. Both the male and female door fell open around the same time. The biggest smile rolled across my small face. "It snowed!"

Picture if you will the ground covered in a pure, thick, white sheet. The air was crisp and pleasant; it stayed in you as you breathed. While the other girls from my dorm glanced out cautiously, I sucked in a deep breath. Then, still wearing my pyjamas, I threw myself onto the cold blanket laughing hysterically. That's how Louis found me, rolling around on the ground playfully in the snow. He immediately joined me and all our dormmates ogled the two of us like we were crazy. After a minute, we leapt to our feet and started to run around barefoot, just like we used to as kids in the forest. I ran first and Louis chased me.

"Haru! Louis! You two get back here! You'll catch your death of cold!" Louis's dorm parent yelled out at us. Of course we didn't listen, continuing to run to the hilly part of campus. This was the closest we'd felt to home since we'd been back last summer. "Haru!" Louis called out for me, still laughing! "Louis, come catch me!" I played along, beginning my decent down the slope. We'd been running so fast that it was no surprise when I slipped, sliding down the rest of the way. Louis followed suit, sliding down along with me. Snow flew up all around as we went down quickly.

Once we reached the bottom, our bodies slowly came to a halt. There, laying with our backs on the fresh winter's snow, our classmates found us laughing uncontrollably like children with our arms stretched out at our sides. After that playing in the snow became fashionable. That's something Louis and I never grew out of- we always knew how to have fun with each other.

That day was when everything began, without any of us realizing- the day that would change all our lives.


	3. In The Library

I sneezed right there in the library. That may have not been the brightest idea on our part. While playing in the snow was totally worth it, the enviable happened. No amount of tea could stop the oncoming cold my poor body was going to suffer. Being a dwarf rabbit and therefore of a small physique, the school let me wear a poncho over my uniform on cold days; they did this after much argument from Bagheera when he found out I was freezing in a classroom in first year. So there I was, sitting in the library at one of the oak wooden tables with my poncho on and a now luke-water cup of Sencha tea beside my books. I had a big history midterm coming up soon which I had to study for. Cold or no cold, exams wait for no one. Not that I was too worried; history was one of my best subjects, after all. Still, I wanted to keep up my A average in the class.

I sneezed again, able to cover my mouth this time. Nugh, maybe I should pick up some medication from the nurse's on my way home. With a long sigh, I lid my history textbook over in front of me. Opening it up to chapter eight, I found- to my delight- a pressed, dried flower waiting for me. Smiling, I lifted it up to get a closer look; lavender, one of my favourites. "Louis…." Down beside me the bud went, and with one last grin, I turned my attention to the first page. "Ok, chapter eight…" My lips read aloud as quietly as I could.

But I didn't get far down the page. My concentration was interrupted by a rabbit- not dwarf but a harlequin- appeared at my table. He approached me from the side, and I paused to gaze up at him puzzled. I'd seen him around school before but never really talked to him before; I think his name was Hojo? I'm not sure. "Hello, Haru-chan." "Oh, hi," I didn't want to use his name in case I got it wrong. "How are you feeling?" "Uh….?" "I heard you sneeze just now. Are you getting a cold?" Why is he asking me these sorts of questions? Why should he care if I'm sick? Still, I decided to be polite and grin.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'll be fine." "I heard about your snow adventure this morning. That must have been fun." How'd he hear about that? Seriously, doesn't everyone have better things to do with their time than gossip about me and Louis? Be nice, be nice; I told myself repeatedly. "It was fun; I love the first snow of the year," I forced my grin to widen. "Me too," I think this backfired on me when his face suddenly softened; his eyes lowered upon me. Then, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he was actually blushing… for some odd reason.

"H-here, I was afraid you might be getting sick, so I-I brought you a tea," Hojo- I dubbed him until learning otherwise- suddenly placed a paper cup on my table. "Tea?" I blinked startled. "Yeah. I always see you carrying a tea with you around campus; I-I figured you must really like it." Wow, he's right- I do love tea; it's one of my three favourite things besides flowers and sugar. Plus my family and Louis are on that list too, course. Hey, wait…. It slowly dawned on me. What does he mean by "always see me around campus"? How often does he see me? How have I not been aware of this until now? Still, I wanted to be kind and show my somewhat water-downed gratitude. "Thank you. That's super thoughtful," and a little creepy but I'll give him the benefit of the double.

Hojo seemed to beam at this like I've just lavished praise on him or something. His smile grew all the more as his eyes lit up in glee. "Make sure to drink it while it's still hot," he felt the need to add, again for some reason. I nodded. "W-well, I'll see you around, then. Have a good study session, Haru-chan." "I will. See you," I flashed him one last smile before turning back to my work, finally. Well, that was weird; what possessed him to do all that? Though I didn't have to think too long about it. The moment Hojo was gone, three girls- one of them also a harlequin rabbit- walked past my table. Along the way, the rabbit's hand slid along effectively knocked over my stack of books I was going to study from besides my textbook. I shot them a glare which they ignored, laughing and jeering at me as they looked over their shoulders. "Don't get the wrong idea. My boyfriend just pities small, dumb animals," she snarled. Boyfriend? Oh… oh, I get it now. I rolled my eyes before getting out of my chair to pick up the books, trying to ignore their vapid laughter as they too left the library.

This wasn't my first time being bullied by someone's girlfriend; that was rather quite common, actually. I didn't let it bother me; why should I be upset because some jealous losers get up in my face. Not my problem. I set the books back up and returned my stare back onto my textbook. Nothing eventful happened for a while; it got dark outside and the interior of the library got quieter and quieter. Eventually, I was of the persuasion that I was the only one on the floor still studying. The lights were turned on outside and you could see the light sprinkling of snow fly through the air. I sighed, resting my cheek on my hand and mindlessly gazing out of the window.

It's late…. I leaned back in my chair, letting one of my arms fall down at my side. I'd been here for a while now; I should probably head home soon. I ironically wasn't afraid of running into any carnivores on the way home but rather, going out in the cold and making my illness worse. Sighing, I then finished up the rest of my tea and went to shut my textbook. While collecting my scattered papers all around the desk, I winced at the sensation of one of them slicing my finger. Damn, a paper cut! A deep one too by the looks of it. I brought my forefinger up to see a drop of blood roll down from the cut along the side of my finger. It hurt like the dickens, but I had colourful bandaids at home I could put on it. Crisis averted. I was about to lick the blood off my finger until…

Breathing. Heavy breathing from behind me. It sounded close but not too close. Whoever it was stayed aligned with my back so I couldn't see them from the corner of my eyes. And trust me, I looked but wasn't able see anything. I don't know why but something inside me told me not to turn around either- I just sat there motionless and waiting for something to happen. And it did- oh boy, it did.

The breathing became louder like their mouth was hanging open; it was more like panting at this point. "You smell so good," my ears perked up at the sound of his deep, lustful voice. It was a male; I could tell that from his voice. He was male and predatory- he sounded… hungry, for lack of a better word. I didn't move in that moment. I didn't even breathe, I was so afraid to make a sound.

What should I do? Should I call out for help? Should I call campus security? Should I make a run for it? It was the oddest thing. I knew he was watching me with the upmost desire; I could feel his hunger from here. But…. he didn't move; he didn't step an inch closer to me. He just… stood there, unmoving. Why? I don't understand. Why doesn't he at least do something? "Perfect… You are so perfect." Ok, not that. Why is he saying that but not acting upon his desires? Sure, it's good for me but after the anti-attack training I'd received from the commune, I doubt I'd actually die. Still….

It only got weirder when he suddenly gasped- more like a wince. I heard him groan and before I had time to react, his footsteps could be heard echoing down the room and outside onto the staircase. It was only then that I spun my chair around to see what was there, or not there. To my shock, on the ground was a pool of drool with some blood mixed in. I couldn't prove it but since we were the only ones in the room, I bet he hurt himself so to stop himself from hurting me. He must have scratched his arm or leg or something. I didn't even get a look at his face; all I knew him by was his voice. I had no idea how tall he was or what kind of animal he was. And I didn't want to find out anytime soon. Now seemed like the perfect time to get the heck outta there. My hands gathered up my stuff as quick as I could; everything went into my backpack. Then I rushed out the front doors, completely forgetting the empty teacup Hojo had left me on the table.

I didn't like to think I was afraid of any carnivores, but I wasn't in any hurry to go back to that floor in the library again.


	4. The First Attack

_I laughed as Baloo tossed me up and down in the air. He, Louis, and me were by the lakeside where we were supposed to be learning to swim. I couldn't stop laughing and neither could Baloo; we all wore the biggest grins on our faces. But the fun couldn't last; Bagheera came from over the bend and frowned unimpressed. _

"_Not so high, Baloo," Bagheera was always overprotective of us kids. "Awe, it's just a little fun. You should try it sometime, baggy pants," Baloo flashed him a brilliant grin. Bagheera rolled his eyes and came over to us. "I thought you were teaching them to swim." "I am! Show him what you can do, little britches," that was Baloo's nickname for Louis. Nodding excitedly, Louis jumped into the water and began to paddle in a circle. "That's wonderful," Bagheera praised him and Baloo beamed proudly. Then their attention turned back to me. _

"_And you, Haru? How's your swimming coming along?" I squirmed a bit awkwardly in Baloo's arms, not saying anything. "Ah, leave the kid alone. She'll swim when she's good and ready," Baloo defended me. Bagheera frowned, folding his arms. "Don't coddle her; this is important. Learning to swim may save her life one day." "Me don't coddle her? You're the one who doesn't like me throwing her up in the air." "She might get hurt; she's such a little thing," adults often talked about us like we weren't here. By now, Baloo set me down and I ran over to Louis, who swam over to the side of the lake to meet me. The two carnivores present became quiet, watching the two of us over by the water. Baloo grinned and Bagheera finally relented. That was just one of many happy memories we had during our time with the commune. _

I sighed exiting the library. Dark outside; I already knew that. I wouldn't say I was afraid to walk home tonight, but…. _"Perfect… You are so perfect."_ I'd be lying if a lingering hesitation didn't resonate in my mind. With a deep, sober breath in, I began down the path towards my dorm house.

Along the way, I gazed up at the stars. It was clear out tonight, with a full moon lighting up a good portion of the sky. Aleka and the other wolves liked nights like this; full moons were their favourite atmosphere. It's night like tonight where I missed them more than usual. Aleka….. He was such a good leader of the commune. He never lost his temper and was always so composed and gentle. You'd never know he saw Louis or me as herbivores by the way he treated us; we were no different from the other members in his eyes. In the most ironic timing in the world, I shut my eyes and breathed deeply again. Aleka, Bagheera, Baloo….. I miss you- I miss you all so much. Carnivores or not, you're my family; all of you, and I wouldn't change a thing about you.

It was right when I finished that last thought that my bunny ears perked up on their own accord. My feet grew to a halt as I glanced off into the distance at something. I saw something….. I saw something move, I think. A shadow in the darkness by the auditorium. I knew something was there by the way the blurry lines of the silhouette draw bigger and bigger, which meant that whatever it was approached me closer and closer. Without forewarning, my body overpowered my brain effectively taking control of all motor function. The whole commune drilled into me that if ever I should be chased, I should run- run as fast as I could manage. Rabbits may not be strong but we're fast, and this is one area where we can use our smaller stature to our advantage. I didn't realize that my feet had spun around on their own accord. Before my mind registered what was happening, I was running; running as swift as possible.

But I got a bad start; whatever was chasing me got a head start. Again, before I knew what was happening, I felt my whole body being tackled. It was with such a force that the two of us actually summersaulted a couple of times. By the time we were upright, I found myself held into place by two very long, very warm, and very strong arms. They wrapped around me so tight, refusing to even let me wiggle an inch- try as I might.

Now, despite living with a variety of carnivores for nearly my whole life, I'd never really been tackled by one before. Sure, some commune members chased me in the forest, but that was all in fun. And the one animal I was truly afraid of, snakes, didn't catch their prey like this. No, this was a brand-new experience for me. My first thought- when my brain finally started working again, that is- was that this was the same guy from the library; the one I didn't see. He must have waited out here for me to leave. My eyes shut desperately as I considered what to do next. My captor's heartbeat kept getting louder and louder to the point where I could hear it through his shirt.

I could try and bite him, but that might backfire on me. Or I could try to scream for help, but I have a feeling he would just cover my mouth. Rule number one when dealing with predators: do not make them angrier than they already are. It'll only come back to hurt you. That doesn't me simply be passive and accept your fate either, but only fight back if you know it'll help you escape. And with his whole form covering me like a really heavy blanket, I doubt that's a possibility for me right now. I winced in alarm and surprise when his head started jerking around in a frantic manner. He's frantic? What? Is he afraid he'll be caught out here like this? I'm the one who should be in panic mode right now.

"S-Stay back… Stop." Wait, who's he talking to? I'm glad he did talk since it made me realize that it wasn't the same boy from inside the library. This guy's voice was much lighter and clumsier in pitch, if that makes any sense. No real comparison. But, hey wait. If he's not the one from the library, who is this carnivore? So he just saw me walk by and decided to tackle me? His steady audible heartbeat was driving me crazy at this point. "Stop!" Stop what? Is he even talking to me? I haven't said anything. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made that he would be speaking directly to me…

"S-stop… Stop….." He's said that like five times now. Who or what does he want to stop? Is he talking to himself? Does he want himself to stop this attack? Maybe he's having regret about all this, not that he's hurt me yet. I felt all his muscles tense up even more, if that were possible. This didn't hurt me per se, but it did make me more uncomfortable. He's squeezing the air out of me… That's when I heard him growl- a tense, frustrated growl. I don't think his jaw could have locked harder. As if fighting itself, his mouth slowly began to pry open; it sounded like it was painful for him. What's going on? What's wrong with him?

"Legosi!" By some saving grace, an unfamiliar voice hollered out in the distance. He immediately relaxed his grip on me like he was coming back to his senses. "It's urgent!" Footsteps could then be heard running our way. The boy let me go just enough for me to wiggle free from him, but not before he clawed the side of my arm. I didn't even feel the pain right away; instead, I did what my years of training had taught me. Without so much as a look back, I stumbled to my feet and got the hell outta there, panting loudly along the way. I didn't stop until I was at my dorm house, where I ran inside and slammed the door behind me.

It was only when I was safely up inside my room that I noticed the gashes on my lower arm. I winced at the flooding of agony that hit like a title wave. Damn, he got me….. I looked in the mirror at my bloody arm and dirty, wet dress; the snow had soaked it pretty good. Two predators in one night, I comprehended as my gently caressed my wounded arm. In all my years at this school, nothing like this had ever happened to me before. And here I was, a target of that predator instinct I've heard about but haven't seen since my parents…

I banished the memory from my head, giving it a little shake for good measure. Then I returned my attention back down to the wound on my arm. Now what? Should I report this to the school? What would I say if I did? Some carnivore attacked me, but I didn't see their face or what species they are? I think I heard their name but don't remember what it is. And what about Louis? He'll flip his lid if he hears about this; he'll probably never let me out of his sight again. And the commune…. I can see us being put on a train straight home if they found out…..

I let out a long sigh. It was the weirdest thing. This whole ordeal didn't leave me petrified as one would expect; only more annoyed than anything. I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't afraid of carnivores; all my family save Louis are meat-eaters. Still, I couldn't just ignore what happened tonight either. There'll be questions, particularly about my bleeding arm, and I'll have to figure out what to do. Regardless, I'm not going to let this ruin my senior year of high school. I bandage it up and move on with life. If something like this happens again, I'll tell someone but for now, I didn't see the reason. I don't like keeping secrets from Louis, but I know how he'd react to something like this; he was also very protective of me. No, for now, I'll just try and forget tonight ever happened. Should it ever come up again….

Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.


	5. A Request

"Tell me again how you hurt your arm." "It's just like I said; I fell in the shower. It's no big deal really." "You need to be more careful, Haru. What am I supposed to tell the commune if something ever happened to you?" "You worry too much, Lou," my head shook. Louis and I were on our way to class. Even since we began school, we worked our schedule where we had most classes together, save for some electives. It was time for English, not one of my better subjects. But at least the history test went well.

We always got looks whenever we walked anywhere on campus together; Louis looks of adoration from girls, and me glares of distain from those same girls. We pretended not to notice; it was easy after years of practice. We just walked and talked like it was the most normal thing in the world, which it was to us. We did grow up together and have the same family, after all.

"I don't worry too much. Don't forget- you're a dwarf rabbit, Haru." "Yeah, yeah; I know. It's not like that's a problem, though." "No, you're right; it's not. I'm just saying you have to be careful. The carnivores here aren't like the ones back home." "I know! I mean, why don't they at least eat bugs or fish? That would solve everything," I sighed. "I think they're going for a more inclusive vegetarian thing here." "Seems kind of pointless; they're naturally meat-eaters, after all. Why should they reject that part of themselves so strictly?" "Heh, that sounds so weird coming from a small bunny like you," Louis chuckled gently. "Don't you agree with me?" I asked him, gazing upwards. "I do, but everyone here was raised differently than you and me. The whole reason the commune separated from society is because they do practice entomophagy and pescetarianism. The rest of the world frowns on that lifestyle apparently." "I don't understand why. They're willing to use bug-killer but not eat them? What sense does that make? They're clearly not doing it because they're living beings." "I agree with you, Haru; but I think we're the only ones here of that persuasion. We shouldn't broadcast it too loudly, especially since it doesn't really affect us." Affect us? The memory of the carnivore tackling me the other night zoomed through my mind. My head turned forward and I gazed down at the floor in front of me. "Yeah, I guess it doesn't….."

"Well, enough of that. What are you doing after school? Got anything planned?" "Nothing yet. Why?" I blinked up at my commune brother. His eyes met mine. "I wanted to ask if you'd come by the drama club?" "The drama club?" My eyebrow raised confused. I went to see all Louis's plays but never actually been to the clubroom. He nodded. "Our Juliet for Romeo and Juliet twisted her ankle pretty bad on set last night. Her part is going to need a replacement and we're out of female actors." "Replacement? But Louis, I'm not even part of the drama club; I've never acted in anything before. Plus, wouldn't the club feel weird with an interloper just coming onto the year's biggest production?" "No? Why would they? We need another female actor." "But I have no experience." "That's ok. We'll rehearse extra hard and I'll be there to help. Please, Haru? I'm playing Romeo and I need someone I can count on to play my opposite."

I hesitated; acting wasn't really my thing. It's not that I had stage fright or anything; I just never saw myself as an actor before. Besides, Romeo and Juliet wasn't my favourite play; I much prefer the Pyramus and Thisbe version of the story. But I didn't want to disappoint Louis…. He kept burning a hole through me with his eyes when I finally sighed. I think he knew I'd relent sooner than later. "What time should I be there?"


	6. The Drama Club

I didn't really want to go to the drama club after class but…. Well, I couldn't deny Louis something like this. With luke-water hesitation, I dragged myself to the drama club's room after the last bell of the day. Along the way, I listened to Mendelssohn's symphony 4 in A major- his "Italian"- on my phone; I usually listened to music when walking alone in between classes. I'll admit, it did pump me up a bit; as much as classical music can for one. But once I reached the clubroom door, I sighed taking out my earbuds. Nugh, I really don't want to do this; I'm in the garden club for a reason. Not that it gave me a lot to do with all the snow outside. My hand gently rested on the door handle, slowing pressing it down and pushing forward.

"Hello, Louis? I'm here," the first thing I saw when I opened the door was this backstage-looking room, with ropes and stage equipment scattered everywhere. One of the walls was covered from roof to ceiling with mirrors; a bar across the middle kept civilians away. The room was full of bodies, all in their school uniforms. Everyone went from chattering to pausing and turning my way. Talk about awkward…. I hesitated a little, not going any further in the room on my own.

"Ah, Haru," a familiar voice suddenly approached me. I looked to see Louis come over my way with a smile. I instinctively mirrored his relieved expression, taking his hand once he offered it to me. Everyone watched as he guided me inside. "So this is the drama club," I said more to myself than him, scanning around as he brought me forward. My head turned to the left and that's when I saw him…. Him.

My feet immediately halted as I simply, effortlessly stared; and he did the same. There, right in front of me was the most handsome, most gorgeous grey wolf I'd ever seen in my life. Tall, with dangling arms, long fingers, and this patch of white going from his mouth down the front of his neck into his shirt. Handsome, was my first thought; utterly stunning. My second thought was how bizarre my first thought was. Here I am, thinking a wolf is beautiful right after I got attacked by a predator the other night. What's wrong with me? How sick is that? I doubt it was him whole assaulted me; I don't think he was the guy from the library either. But he's still a carnivore….. A beautiful canine.

This wolf- hereby dubbed Mr. Gorgeous until further notice- stared at me with equal intensity. Though while mine was pure admiration for his physique, he seemed more…. shaken, on edge. His entire body stiffened, then flinched as he eventually tore his eyes away from mine. They shifted around in apprehension and awkwardness. This immediately made me feel like I'd done something wrong; I made him feel uncomfortable somehow. And of course I wanted to help, to make him feel better in some way or another. But I had no clue what I could have done or how to fit it. Instead, all I could do was merely stand there and watch him with wide eyes.

What I just described happened in a matter of like five seconds. It wasn't long enough for Louis or anyone else in the room to notice it. Louis also stopped when my feet halted, and he glanced back over his shoulder at me. "Haru?" Him saying my name instantly snapped me out of…. of….. of whatever this was. I blinked at him surprised and he gave me a gentle tug. Realizing what he was doing, I didn't hesitate to follow him again. He didn't stop until we were in the centre of the room. While still holding onto my hand, he turned to address the crowd.

"Everyone, listen up! This is Haru; she's going to audition for the part of Juliet in our upcoming play." Oh, this did not sit well with the rest of the club, who lit up in a fuss. "What?!" "Why should she audition?" "Does she even have any acting experience?" "This is stupid! You can't do that." "Yeah. Just cause you're playing Romeo doesn't mean you can shift your weight around like this." "You just want her cause she's your commune sister. What talent does she really have, if any?" That last comment appeared to get under Louis's skin. While I agreed with all of them, Louis stayed adamant- as usual. He fired off a look which told everyone to shut the hell up, and I felt his grip on my hand tighten. Meanwhile, I remained quiet, gazing from our clasped hands back to the still gawking Mr. Gorgeous. He's been oddly silent this whole time too.

"I beg your pardon, but I don't think you heard me. I personally asked Haru to play my opposite in the play; this is a favour she is doing for me. I would not have asked her if I thought she wouldn't do a good job; quite the opposite, actually. I asked Haru because I know she will do a fantastic job." "Oh yeah? How can you be so sure, man?" A tiger asked. "Because I am," Louis shot back with an undeniable tone.

The room became uncomfortably still again as the other club members looked at each other, unsure what to say next. Louis seemed pleased with this, visibly relaxing his shoulders and grinning lowly. "Don't worry; I want this to work out as much as you do. That's why we have to go with someone I trust." "You trust her." "I do, and you will too after working with her." They will? I'm not so sure about this, Louis. "What do you think?" It took me a second to realize that he was now talking to me. Too bad; he brought my attention away from Mr. Gorgeous for a moment. A brief moment. "Hmmmmm?" I looked up at my commune brother, who was already observing me.

"What do you think, Haru? You'll help out with our play, won't you?" "Oh… oh! Yes, of course," I nodded. While everyone still seemed reluctant, the mood of the room calmed down a bit with most members glancing my way now and softening their faces. "You'll really do it, then?" The red panda asked me. "I will give it my best shot," I flashed him a reassuring grin. "See? I knew you would," Louis finally let go of my hand, patting me on the back. I gave him one last smile before peering back to you-know-who. He still was as flustered and shy as ever. Awe, I hope I can talk to him some time, I inwardly sighed to myself.

I guess I hadn't realized until literally just now- I found wolves extremely attractive.


	7. Mr Gorgeous

Gees, Louis; why'd you ask me to do this? Most likely cause he knew I wouldn't say no. After class was over, I went to the drama's clubroom. They weren't meeting today so I figured I might as well take the opportunity to explore a bit. That and try on my Juliet costume. It was a dress much too big for me. Still, nothing a few pins and knots couldn't fix. I had to put it on and scale it down to size all by myself, which I didn't mind.

Once all dressed up and standing in the middle of the empty space all alone, I decided to give movement in this costume a try. And what better way than by dancing? I'd have to dance anyway in the ball scene- why not test it out now? I found the music for the morisca on my phone, put the speaker on, and set it down on a nearby box. Once the melody started, I just began to randomly dance; I remember lots of upper arm movements from the movie.

Slow and careful dancing soon turned to exciting and fast-paced turns. I was spinning and frolicking around rather easy. Surprising with this bulky dress, but then women have been dancing around in these types of garments for centuries. I could handle one little play in a proper Venetian gown.

I guess I'd been dancing too much and having too much fun since I failed to notice that I was no longer the only one in the room. While twirling around merrily, I accidently bumped into someone. Whoever they were, they were tall and strong enough to stop me dead in my tracks. I stumbled forwards, tripping over my dress's hem a bit. When I stopped falling all over myself, I looked back to see that same wolf from before standing there. His expression was one of utter confusion and speechlessness. And he wasn't the only one who was startled.

"M-Mr. Gorgeous!" "H-Huh…..?" I blinked a couple of time in realization. Oh, I just called him that, did I? "I'm such a moron," I huffed to myself, turning to stride over to my phone. He watched me; his eyes still gigantic and bewildered as ever. "You caught me. I just wanted to try on the dress before my audition, although the way Louis talks, you think I've already got the part," I flashed him a grin which he didn't return. His jaw just hung open still in surprise.

"You're part of the drama club, right? Are you part of the acting or stage crew?" I then asked, straightening up and turning off the music. Funny, I couldn't stop smiling whenever I looked at him; the name "Mr. Gorgeous" still suited him in my eyes. "U-uh, t-the stage crew," he eventually answered shyly. Awe, he's still shy around me; I want to fix that. I don't want to feel awkward around me because I'm a dwarf rabbit- that's the last thing I wanted. My grin organically widened at this thought; my shoulders relaxed. "Have you been in the drama club long? What year are you in?" "U-um, second year….." "Second year? I'm in third year, but don't worry about formalities! Never did like them much myself. I'm in the garden club, but I'm doing this as a favour to Louis; it's not like there's much for me to do in my club this time of year anyway."

Mr. Gorgeous shuffled a bit nervously. Why is he so finicky around me? Is he really not used to interacting with herbivores like me? This only heightened my empathy for him. I bet he's really trying hard right now not to make me feel awkward just by him being in the same room as me. Poor guy.

My hand ran up behind my ear. "I'm sorry; I'm doing all the talking. Did you come here for something? Do you need me to leave? I know I shouldn't really be in here without permission; I didn't think I'd see anyone else in here, to be honest," I flashed him a side-grin; those types of grins you send someone when you get caught. "N-No! You don't have to go… I mean, I came here for… for….." He rubbed the back of his neck again, uncomfortably glancing off to the side. This poor, poor guy.

To my surprise, while I was checking the pins on my dress by rolling up one of the sleeves, he looked at the palm of his hand. "Um…. well…. your left arm…. What happened to it?"

My arm? Oh, that's right! It's all bandaged up. Uh oh… What should I say? I shouldn't have lied to Louis but I did, and now I gotta keep my lie consistent. Oh, what did I tell him back then? Hmmmmm….

"O-oh this? I uh… I fell down in the shower and scraped my arm. It's alright! It's not broken or anything; just a little bloody, that's all." Nailed it! But my confidence began to diminish when he didn't look convinced. He didn't say he didn't believe me, but I could read it on his face. Need to reassure him… of my lie. How sick is that? I had to force a grin this time, shutting my eyes just in case he could read the deception in them. "I-It doesn't hurt too much anymore. Don't worry; I'm sure it'll heal up just fine." "Y-you think?" And I nodded affirmably. Only then did I reopen my eyes. I saw him and smiled once more- a genuine one this time.

"I should probably get out of this dress before anyone else catches me. You won't tell anyone, will you?" He went from shyly shuffling his feet around and staring at the ground to blinking at me alarmed. His hands opened all the way as if what I'd just said caught him off guard. Awe, he's so cute… and handsome. He's simultaneously cute and handsome- a rare trait indeed. "N-no! I won't tell anyone." "Awe, thank you; I appreciate it. I should replay you for your silence somehow. What kind of food do you like?" My voice was more playful now. "Um….. well….."

Ah, he's tongue-tied again; maybe I should bring him a treat. I'm sure I can find something he'll like. I don't want to put him on the spot any more than I already have or make him feel uncomfortable. "Just hold on a minute….. uh….." He's still struggling, I came to understand.

"Ah, it's ok. I'll find some way to repay you. But I'm very happy I ran into you; heh, literally, I guess. My name's Haru, by the way. What's yours?" A pregnant paused ensued. "Legosi." "Legosi? That's a familiar sounding name," I considered to myself. Legosi… Legosi…. Where have I heard that name before? At this, Legosi started to panic…. for some reason. Wait, what's wrong? Is it something I said? Why's he getting flustered all of a sudden?

"I'll leave you to get changed. I'll be on my way," I watched as he rushed for the door. I wanted to both laugh and check him for injury when he accidently slammed the door on his tail. Boy, did that make him yelp. "Thank you for your time!" I heard him holler from the other side, followed by frantic footsteps down the hall. Well now…. I couldn't help but stare at the closed door, effectively leaving me in the room alone. What do you know about that? Why'd he just run out like that? Why do I have so many unanswered questions- all centring around him? Still…. a warm smile bloomed across my lips. I'm so glad I got to see Mr. Gorgeous so soon again. No, Legosi….

I'm so happy I got to see Legosi again.


	8. Audition

I had just finished putting a box of chocolates with a "thank you" note in Legosi's cubby. Then, while still wearing a smile, I went to enter the stage, clad in my over-sized dress; thank god for pins and string. The lights were on and the curtains drawn back. Everyone was already out there waiting when I stepped out, adjusting my sleeves along the way. "This gown is swallowing me alive, Lou."

That's when I glanced up to every acting club member now pausing to stare- or rather gawk- at me. Huh, that's weird, I thought as my feet came to a slow halt. What are they looking at? They're looking at me, obviously; but why? Louis, who was also on stage and skimming over a script, turned his head up and spun around to see me as well. After a moment of staring, a brilliant smile bloomed across his face. "Ah, Haru; you're here," he waltzed over to my side, stretching his hand out for mine. I grinned, taking it of course. And while he led me to the centre of the stage, I peered upwards to see a flabbergasted Legosi standing up where the spotlights were. As if acting on impulse, I grinned at him too. This made him flinch and glance around shyly, unable to meet my gaze. I didn't mind this time though; I didn't want to make feel uncomfortable in any way.

Once in the right position, Louis let go of my hand and went in front of me to inspect me once over; his forefinger rested on his chin ponderingly. Not long afterward though, he smiled a second time- a sincere smile. "Beautiful….." "Thank you," I returned the kind facial expression. "Alright, ready to go?" "I think so. Where should I stand?" "There is fine. Ok, Haru; just start whenever you're ready- no rush," Louis said going to sit on the front row along with the club's president and a few other actors. The president gazed up at me also with a gentle grin. "Whenever you like, dear."

This had been my first time ever doing something like this before. I was no actor by any means, nor did I want to be. That being said, I wasn't afraid of public speaking or getting up on stage. I'd rehearsed the balcony scene; namely cause Juliet's soliloquy was one I could perform alone. I cleared my throat and stood up as straight as I possibly could in a dress like this. Well, here goes nothing.

"Ay, me. O, Romeo, Romeo. Wherefort art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name. Or, if thou will not, be but sworn my love. And I'll no longer be a Capulet." Hey, you know; this isn't so bad. It's quite easy actually. "Tis but thy name that is my enemy. Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What is a Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part. Belonging to a man. O, be some other name." My eyes wandered over to Louis at this point; he was observing me attentively. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, retain that dear perfection which he owes." I don't know why but my eyes drew up to where the still astonished Legosi was watching now. Legosi…. The wolf I still knew so little about. I hope he was enjoying the performance as well. "Without that title; Romeo, doff thy name. And for that name, which is no part of thee, take all myself."

There was a stunned silence in the auditorium immediately after I ended. Then, I don't know who, but someone started clapping, which all others followed suit. Continuing to clap, Louis finally got up and came to join me on stage. He flashed me the kindest of faces; his eyes soft and soulful as they rested upon me. Then he took my hand again in his once more, giving it a gentle squeeze. His eyes moved from me back onto the acting crew; his free arm stretched out. "Ladies and gentlemen, our Juliet."


	9. Yet Another Meet-Cute

Getting out of that costume dress was a chore in itself. You'd think a gown which was too big for me would be easy to slip out of, but no such luck. By the time I was all cleaned up and dressed again, it had already been half an hour or so. Louis already told me not to wait around for him; he had other club matters to attend to and so unfortunately could not walk me home. Despite the assault I suffered a couple of nights ago, I still wasn't too afraid to go outside on my own after dark. I was raised by carnivores, the majority of animals I love are meat-eaters; why should I start fearing them excessively now?

I exited the back of the dressing room onto the dark street, lit up by a few streetlights. I didn't think much of the ensuing journey back to my dorm room. That being said, I was a little hungry and contemplated popping in the cafeteria on the way. While I was busy considering this, I failed to notice the entity approaching me from behind until I was on the main streetway on campus. My ears perked up at the sound of a footstep behind me and I spun around to see a familiar figure standing not-so-far away from me. The most glorious smile lit up my face.

"Legosi-kun!" The grey wolf awkwardly paused and fumbled with his eyes; I don't think he wanted to meet my gaze directly. His hands shuffled at his sides. "Erm, h-hi…." He sounded as bashful as he looked. This only made my grin grow organically. I just loved hearing the sound of his voice- so deep and sincere. It relaxed me, if I'm being totally honest. He must have just come from the theatre too.

"Did you like the performance? I uh, heh, don't have a lot of experience, so it might have not been that good. Plus that dress was eating me alive! Though Louis assured me it'll be altered by opening night. But I hope my enthusiasm shined through…. Well, what enthusiasm there was," my head cocked cutely as I rubbed the back of my neck and closed my eyes. For a moment there was pure silence after this mini rant. Now, I wasn't exactly sure what I was expecting to happen. Legosi-kun didn't seem like the type to talk so casually like that, but I thought- or hoped- that he might say something at least. But when I reopened my eyes, I found a dumbfounded and tongue-tied hottie staring back at me with large, bewildered eyes. Yep! He's definitely not used to talking to herbivores like me. That's something we'll have to change, at a speed he's comfortable with course.

But he was clearly uncomfortable right now. That put me a little at war with myself. I really wanted to keep talking to him- just to be near him was delightful for me, and I had no idea why. I had no clue where these feelings were coming from, but by George, they were there. On the other hand, I didn't want to push it with Legosi-kun. The last thing I'd ever want to do is make him feel awkward or uncomfortable. And if that meant limited contact for now, that's what I'll do. It wasn't about what I wanted so much, but about what he wanted; how much communication he was happy with.

My lips parted a sliver. That… felt a little bad. I'll admit that while I wanted to do this at his pace, I also felt a tad sad keeping this distance between us. It felt so unnatural to me that we should do so because we're different species. But that's just the way things are; I'm not on the commune anymore. I have to play by their rules now, and more than that….. My eyes drifted back up to Legosi-kun's. I truly want him to be comfortable at his own school and drama club.

"I-It's ok if you didn't like it. I'm still new to acting and have a lot to learn, so I… I uh… um…" I really wasn't quite sure how to finish that sentence. Here I am, trying my best to not make him feel more awkward around me, and failing miserably. God, I'm such an idiot sometimes….. But I blinked upwards astonished when next Legosi-kun spoke- albeit still not looking into my eyes.

"N-No! You….. you were… r-really good," Legosi-kun couldn't say without deeply blushing. This, in turn, made me blush profusely. Did….. did Legosi-kun just give me a compliment? Why does it feel like he's just given me the world? I was actually blushing so hard that I covered both my cheeks with my hands. He went on. "I uh… wanted to thank you too…. for the um, chocolates." "Oh, did you like them?! I wasn't sure what type of chocolate wolves like; we didn't eat a lot of candy in the commune. That's why I went with all-sorted, just to make sure there'd be something you'd like." "U-Uh, yeah…." His eyes kept shifting from side to side, utterly refusing to look straight at me. I wasn't bothered by this as I continued to grin up at him.

"S-So, a-are you going to your dorm, or….?" He scratched the back of his neck, obviously embarrassed. This boy…. Everything he said endeared him to me more and more. "Well, I was actually going….." Before I could say anything more, a loud grumbling erupted from my stomach. Huh, I guess I'm hungrier than I thought. Legosi-kun's eyes widened but he didn't utter a word; I think he was too embarrassed. Both my arms coiled around my waist as I flashed a timid, sweet smile. "I think I need a little snack before bed. Would you… like to come get something to eat with me, Legosi-kun?"


	10. The First Meal Together

I failed to notice all the looks and second glances Legosi-kun and I were receiving from our table in the cafeteria. It felt so natural and homey to be dining with a carnivore again; Louis and I usually ate by ourselves, so this was a welcomed change. But while I was blissfully unaware of our awkward surroundings, poor Legosi-kun was acutely aware. His gaze kept shifting around to individuals who'd look or make some quiet remark. I didn't put the pieces together that he had yet to take a bite of food while all this was happening. In blissful ignorance, I kept munching on my black forest cake. A wide, pleased grin rolled across my lips and I looked up to him.

"This is so good! Why didn't we bake more in the commune? Black forest cake is the best!" Legosi-kun didn't say anything, making me feel a bit embarrassed. Still, I continued to try and keep the mood light and chipper. "Thanks again for lending me your backpack. Now we're at eyelevel! Well, sorta…." I cracked a playful smile again. He lowered his cup a bit as the faintest of grins appeared in the corners of his mouth. "I see. That's good…." Was all he said. Awe, poor guy; he must still feel shy and uncomfortable around me. I inwardly sighed to myself, wishing there was something I could do for him. That's when I noticed that he hadn't touched his food yet. While I've been eagerly eating away, he's been sitting here not eating a thing. That didn't sit well with me.

"A-Aren't you hungry, Legosi-kun? You haven't touched your cake….." He had a slice of untouched strawberry short cake in front of him. Legosi-kun flinched, as if to be caught red-handed doing something wrong. His eyes wandered from side to side again as he scrambled to collect his thoughts. "I-I will… I'll eat," even more scrambling to find his fork. I watched him take the smallest of bites, feeling a great sense of relief that he was actually eating something now. Content with that, I started nibbling at my own cake again. I don't think he was comfortable talking to me a lot yet, so I decided to contribute the majority to our conversation, if only to make him feel better.

"I knew lots of wolves back in the commune. Our commune leader was a wolf named Akela, actually," I'm not really sure why I said that in specific; I just did. It was something to say anyway. Legosi-kun merely observed me. "Is that so?" My hand against the side of my cheek in a wistful fashion; my eyes wandered out into space. "I never realized the difference between herbivores and carnivores until I moved here. I knew everyone else ate different food from me and Louis, but we were treated the same…. like one of them. I had no idea the real world saw us so differently….. I'm teased here for the way I am, the way I see myself. Heh, I'm the only rabbit I know who isn't afraid of carnivores… and I'm ostracized for it. It's weird… I don't fit in with carnivores or herbivores here at school; I felt more at ease in a forest full of meat-eaters…." And for the first time since I began my ineloquent speech, I peered back over at Legosi-kun. I saw him and I smiled…. "Maybe that's why I like talking to you. It so natural for me…. It's easier to talk to you than most of the herbivores I know. It feels like home to me….."

Legosi-kun just…. stared; he just wordlessly stared at me with these gigantic eyes. It's then that it hit me like a speeding train what I'd just done. Oh my god! What did I just say to him? I didn't tell him all that, did I? No! He's going to feel insanely awkward and uncomfortable! That is the last thing I wanted to do! As if going into instant repair mode, both my hands shot up in front of me as I waved them around like I was trying desperately to banish the embarrassment away.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to say all that! Just forget I said anything! It's really stupid anyway; please forget it!" God, this is a nightmare! I let myself get too comfortable around him…. I couldn't help it though! It felt so natural and good, being around Legosi-kun. But I had this sinking feeling that I just ruined any chance of friendship with him. Nugh, I should have just kept my mouth shut! What's the matter with me? I can't even look him in the eye anymore! I'm such an idiot! I had half a mind of just making a run for it right then and there, until…

"Haru-chan." My eyes shot open and I very hesitantly peaked up to Legosi-kun's face. "Y-Yes?" My voice quivered all over itself. Legosi-kun stared back at me with calmer, lower eyes; his face was relaxed and frank. But that didn't last too long. As if his resolve was quickly crumbling, he began to fidget and contort his long arms again. "Erm… Do you…. w-want to be…. friends?" He couldn't meet my gobsmacked ogle while he asked this. My heart skipped a beat- several beats. Friends…. with Legosi-kun? He wants to be friends with me? Why does this make me feel so incredibly happy and warm inside? My heart rose up to my chest as my breathing quickened. It took a second, but our eyes finally met for the very first time since we were introduced to each other. Friends with Legosi-kun….. Legosi-kun and his gorgeous eyes. Blushing redder than I think I ever had before, my head shyly nodded.


	11. Mixed Signals

Friends….. I can't believe Legosi-kun and I are friends. I couldn't stop smiling as I laid there on the fake grass under the fake sun. Today was Environmental Day and we all had to go to our designated rooms. These rooms were specifically designed to mimic our quote "natural habitats". I guess my natural habitat was a green meadow somewhere. Heh, far cry from the forest I grew up in. While I rested there, I kept thinking about Legosi-kun. I wonder what his natural habitat looked like. Where do wolf packs usually live in the wild? All the wolves I knew previously lived in the commune.

My train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a kind-of familiar voice. "Hey, Haru-chan." My eyes opened to see Hojo- I think that's what his name was- grinning down at me. "Oh, hi," I sat up, still not wanting to use his name just in case I was wrong. "H-How are feeling? Is your cold gone?" "My cold? Oh, right! You brought me a tea in the library! Yes; yes, it's gone, thank you," I smiled. Not really sure why he'd remember something like that but ok. Guess he's just got a really good memory.

"Oh, that's good. You're looking really good… I mean healthy! Erm…." Hojo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. What's up with him? Why's he acting all weird around me? Still, I wanted to be as polite as possible and waited for him to speak again. That didn't take long. "I-I heard that you're going to play Juliet in this year's play," boy, did he sound nervous. I simply nodded. "That's right. It's a favour to my commune brother, Louis." "That's nice of you. Practice must eat up a lot of your free time….." "No, not really. We're just getting started with rehearsals." "Good! I'll be sure to come see you…. in the play, I mean." "Great! More audience," I smiled a bit vapidly. A pregnant pause fell over us momentarily.

"So, um… I wanted to ask you…. Uh, s-since you're not too busy with rehearsals yet, would you…. erm, would you like… to maybe see a movie with me?" He asked as shyly as you can imagine. For a moment, I gawked up at him, trying to comprehend what he had just asked me. Go to a movie? Like, as friends? I wouldn't really call us "friends" yet. It's then that I noticed those three air-head rabbits firing glares in my direction. Oh, that's right! Hojo's supposed to be dating her- what's her name? Ah, who cares. But why would she be jealous? He's simply asking me to go to a movie with him as a friend. Where's the harm in that? Yet despite this, Hojo sure seemed anxious for some reason.

I stood up and brushed off my uniform before flashing him an apologetic grin. "Sorry, but my calendar's pretty busy at the moment. I got this huge math test next week, plus I gotta help Louis out with the play. Maybe some other time?" I replied entirely truthfully; I didn't see anything hurtful in my words. Hojo's deflated expression, on the other hand…. His arms lowered as his sides as any semblance of a smile disappeared from his lips. His eyes narrowed sadly. "O-Oh, sure. You're busy; I get it. Course, we can go whenever you have the time," the last part of his statement sounded hopeful. I was about to say something until the speaker interrupted us. "Environmental Day is officially over. All students please exit your habitats; the Unity Centre will be closing in fifteen minutes!" A female voice announced over the intercom.

"Have a good night," I told Hojo. Then I set off towards the door, with the three nasty girls following quickly in toe. They didn't get far, however. I opened the door to find Louis already waiting outside for me. He immediately flashed me a brilliant smile, taking a few steps in my direction. "Hey, Haru." "Hi, Lou. How was your two hours?" "Hmmm, boring," he shrugged. Still smiling, my commune brother relaxed his posture and came right up beside me. "Have you eaten already?" "Yep. You?" "Me too. Then I'll walk you home; I haven't seen you much today and I'm starting to miss you." Awe, Louis…. Of course this made me smile. "I missed you too, Lou."

Satisfied with this, we began to walk towards the door. I blinked when he suddenly put his arm around my shoulder. While I was peering up at him curiously, Louis wasn't looking back at me. He was glaring off in a different direction instead. I didn't realize it at the time but those three rabbit girls who were going to accost me suddenly backed off at Louis's protective presence. Soon enough, he glanced back down at me and smiled warmly. I mirrored his expression, letting him keep his arm over me. He was my beloved brother, after all.


End file.
